Did Jimmer become too popular for class?
April 14th, 2011
03:49 AM ET

Did Jimmer become too popular for class?

College basketball standout and BYU senior Jimmer Fredette certainly has star power, collecting player-of-the-year awards after leading the nation in scoring this past season. And if his father is to be believed, he became too popular on his own campus to attend class.

Al Fredette, Jimmer's father, told the Glens Falls (New York) Post-Star that Jimmer (pictured) resorted to doing all his Brigham Young University schoolwork online because requests for autographs and photographs were getting out of hand.

"It was getting too disruptive," Al Fredette said, according to the Post-Star. "He can't go anywhere in Provo (Utah) without being recognized."

As the report notes, missing class wouldn't be unusual for a NBA-bound player after the college season ends, and working outside of class isn't odd for any well-traveled collegiate athlete. But the elder Fredette said the school asked Jimmer to stop appearing in class, according to the paper.

That's not the case, BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins told CNN Wednesday.

Jenkins said whether Jimmer Fredette - an American studies major - attended class was worked out with individual professors, and not decided by the school.

"He's been working with individual professors on a class-by-class basis," which may involve getting materials online. Jenkins said he doesn't know whether he stopped attending classes because his presence was disruptive.

BYU student Nathan Gundlach told CNN affiliate KSTU that Fredette hasn’t been in one of his friend’s classes in a couple of weeks.  BYU’s season ended in late March when it lost to Florida in the NCAA tournament’s round of 16.

In any event, Fredette and the rest of the basketball team were on campus Tuesday for a student-run end-of-semester assembly, Jenkins said. Classes ended Wednesday, and finals are next.

Fredette, who led the nation in scoring this year with nearly 28 points per game heading into the postseason, was in Los Angeles on Friday, picking up the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball's player of the year.

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Filed under: Basketball • College basketball • Sports • Utah
soundoff (10 Responses)
  1. talent

    Jimmer could easily best Kobe, one on one.

    April 14, 2011 at 3:57 am | Report abuse |
  2. Jazzzz

    Kobe, is the whole laker team.

    April 14, 2011 at 6:54 am | Report abuse |
  3. No betsor regrets

    higher education..? Its a hollywood business arrangement. Wanna bet?

    April 14, 2011 at 7:25 am | Report abuse |
  4. Adam

    CNN – thank you for doing some actual reporting. 100 other news outlets and blogs have just parroted what they heard. Cheers!

    April 14, 2011 at 8:22 am | Report abuse |
  5. banasy

    Jazzzz, while Kobe may be the Lakers, I think his teammates and that ref may respectfully disagree. I would have to agree with them. With that being said...

    Good morning, hon!

    April 14, 2011 at 8:32 am | Report abuse |
  6. Dim Mak

    Awww poor Jimmer. Having to fend off the prom queen, cheerleaders and every smokin hot virgin on campus must be rough. The fat paychecks he's sure to receive after school must be a nightmare. I will trade him any time he wants obscurity. Boo hoo 😐

    April 14, 2011 at 9:00 am | Report abuse |
  7. Name*geggett

    I haven't heard The Jimmer complaining.

    April 14, 2011 at 6:36 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Patty

    I rarely post unless its political. So I decided to search each blog and see if the same people R on most of these blogs. YEP!! There U were,

    Jazzzzz
    Banasy
    Mmmmmmm
    An countless others.
    Basically the same stupid posts I see on the political blogs. Get a Life people or get a job!!

    April 14, 2011 at 8:14 pm | Report abuse |
  9. ?

    Jimmer..there is a nice warm spot waiting for you on the bench.
    Yours,
    The NBA

    April 14, 2011 at 9:24 pm | Report abuse |
  10. justin

    JIMMER IS THE MAN! he is the freaking best, i don't car what anyone says he can shoot threes like it's nothing. By threes i mean 40 ft. away from the goal. Kemba get outta here, Jimmer is the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! go BYU.

    April 25, 2011 at 6:35 pm | Report abuse |
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